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| Japan aims to operate flying vehicles by 2023 |
The Japanese government supports the launch of specialized aircraft by 2023, and the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) industry (with a special focus on renewable energy systems) is receiving interest from many companies in the transportation sector.
Japan's SkyDrive has developed two eVTOL vehicles and is currently in the testing phase. However, it is not the only company studying flying vehicles.
Uber, Boeing, Airbus, AeroMobil and others are studying vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) in hopes of developing a safe and cost-effective vehicle that outperforms the competition.
Many of the prototypes shown relate to the idea of flying taxis that could be piloted by professional pilots and could carry a relatively large number of people.
On SkyDrive, the company has developed a vehicle small enough to accommodate two parking spaces.
SkyDrive was founded in 2018 to focus on design, development and manufacture of aircraft and has raised 1.8 billion yen from investors to date.
The company is made up of aerospace, automotive and drones engineers. In 2019, the company signed an agreement with Toyota City allowing the use of its 10,000 square meter development base and testing facilities.
The company said that in developed countries, aircraft should be used as vehicles to reduce traffic congestion, while in developing countries they should be used as vehicles that require less infrastructure.
The prototype of this startup is a two-seater concept car with two fans. The aircraft is powered by batteries. Engineers hope to put on the market a commercial version with a speed of 60 kilometers per hour and 20 to 30 kilometers. Speed.
Unmanned flights abroad were carried out in December 2018, followed by manned flights in December 2019 and March 2020.
SkyDrive is currently improving its current technical design and the company hopes to officially launch its flying car in the next few years.
Although this may sound ambitious, the Japanese government remains eager to support the eVTOL project and hopes to see safe and viable cars by 2023.
(EVTOL) Vehicles located in densely populated cities (such as Japan) in populated countries / areas can reduce road traffic and enable faster helicopter transportation between urban areas.
EVTOL can also demonstrate its value during transportation to remote areas or during natural disasters for rescue or supply missions.